January–February 2009
Volume 17 Number 1
California Native Plant Society
M ARIN C H APTER NEWSLETTER
Tiburon Mariposa Lily (Calochortus tiburonensis)
Monday, January 12, Marin Chapter Meeting
“Interactive Effects of Nitrogen and Salinity
on Salt Marsh Plant Communities” by guest
speaker Amelia Ryan
Amelia’s research examines the effects of nitrogen and
salinity in salt marsh communities. An essential nutrient
for plant growth, nitrogen can have a profound effect
on the diversity and structure of plant communities.
The effects of excess nitrogen have the potential to be
magnified in salt marsh communities because nitrogen
is a key component in the plant response to salt stress.
Nitrogen levels have been increasing worldwide
since the onset of the industrial age. This problem is
pronounced in estuaries such as San Francisco Bay
because both direct input and runoff concentrate nitro-
gen in estuaries. Salinity varies around the bay, but
both water diversion and climate change have caused
overall increases in bay salinity. These salinity changes
could further impact marsh diversity.
Above: Salt marsh at China Camp State Park
Amelia will discuss a series of experiments she under-
took in both the greenhouse and at China Camp State
Park in San Rafael to try to understand the impacts of
these human-caused changes to the estuary. This work
was completed as a part of her master’s work under Dr.
Marin Chapter established 1973
Above: Amelia at work in the marsh
Katharyn Boyer at the Romberg Tiburon Center, San
Francisco State University.
Amelia grew up in rural western Sonoma County,
where she developed an interest in California native
plants at a very young age. She graduated from
UC Davis in 2000 with a B.S. in Plant Biology. After
leaving Davis, Amelia spent two years as a science
teacher in Namibia. Since 2003, Amelia has worked
at Pt. Reyes National Seashore as a biologist on
the Giacomini Wetland Restoration Project. It was
this experience that inspired her interest in marsh
communities in particular. In 2008 Amelia was proud
to receive a scholarship from the Santa Clara Valley
Chapter of the CNPS to support the completion of her
master’s work.
January and February meetings:
Please note that dinner will start 15 minutes earlier!
5:45 p.m. Join friends and meet our speakers for a
no-host dinner at Gira Polli of Mill Valley, 590 East
Blithedale Ave. at Camino Alto. Please be prompt to be
assured of a seat with our group.
7:30 p.m. Meet at the Redwoods retirement home, 40
Camino Alto, Mill Valley. Books, posters, and cards will
be for sale before as well as after the meeting. Lecture
starts at 8 p.m.
“LOST” RARE PLANTS OF MARIN
Text by Doreen Smith
Last year we re-found Astragalus nuttallii and Gilia
capitata ssp. tomentosa after many years, so there is
perhaps a chance for rediscovery of one or more of the
following “lost” rare plants of Marin.
• Pentachaeta bellidiflora (whiteray pygmy-daisy)
was once quite abundant in Marin, appearing in
Greenbrae, San Quentin Peninsula (last sighting
here around 1970), the east side of Mt. Tamalpais,
Corte Madera, and Kentfield. This little daisy usually
grows in open grassland, especially on serpentinite.
Doreen’s picture comes from the only known
remaining population left, in San Mateo County.
Above: Whiteray pygmy-daisy (Pentachaeta bellidi-
flora) by Doreen Smith
• Plagiobothrys chorisianus (Choris’s popcornflower)
is found on coastal terraces in seasonally wet
places. It flowers in early spring. This species was
found near Bolinas in 1886, then again in 1960, but
not since.
Above: Choris’s popcornflower (Plagiobothrys chori-
sianus) by Neal Kramer
2 CNPS MARIN CHAPTER NEWSLETTER • VOL. 17 NO. 1 • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2009
• Records for Polemonium carneum (Jacob’s ladder)
exist in the UC/Jepson Herbarium—most recently
from May 18th, 1939—from Fort Barry, near Sausalito.
Also, Marin Flora records the plant as occurring
near Point Bonita, on Angel Island, and maybe near
Salmon Creek, growing in moist brushy places.
Above: Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium carneum) (near
Ashland, Oregon) by Vernon Smith
❀ ❀ ❀
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
❀ Monday 1/12, 7:30–9:30 p.m.
Marin Chapter Meeting: Amelia Ryan on “Interactive
Effects of Nitrogen and Salinity on Salt Marsh Plant
Communities”
❀ Saturday–Monday 1/17–19
CNPS Conservation Conference in Sacramento
❀ Sunday 1/18, 10 a.m.
Chapter Field Trip: Jepson/Johnstone Loop, Tomales
Bay St. Park
❀ Sunday 2/1, 10 a.m.
Chapter Field Trip: Cataract Gulch from near Alpine
Dam
❀ Monday 2/2, 7:30 p.m.
Marin Chapter Board Meeting at Marin Recycling
❀ Monday 2/9, 7:30–9:30 p.m.
Marin Chapter Meeting: Matteo Garbelotto with an
“Update on Sudden Oak Death” (see the May 2008
Newsletter for his talk description)
❀ Sunday 2/15, 10 a.m.
Chapter Field Trip: Steep Ravine on Mt. Tamalpais
❀ Thursday 2/19, 10 a.m.
Chapter Field Trip: Early Flowers at Chimney Rock
❀ Sunday 2/22, 10 a.m.
Chapter Field Trip: Carson Falls
❀ Monday 3/2, 7:30 p.m.
Marin Chapter Board Meeting at Marin Recycling
❀ Monday 3/9, 7:30–9:30 p.m.
Marin Chapter Meeting: Laurie Adams on “Planting
Native Plants for Pollinators“
IN MEMORIAM
A Donation in Honor of Ida Geary
Ida Geary, an artist, writer, and longtime nature colum-
nist, died in July. The notice of her death appeared in
the September 2008 chapter Newsletter. At its October
meeting, the Marin Chapter voted to make a donation
in her honor to the Jepson Flora Project towards the
updating of the Jepson Manual.
the Sierra (Irene often making spaghetti sauce for the
whole group). They also travelled extensively through-
out the western states, in earlier years in their camper
vehicle. The newsletter foldings are still conducted in
their home by Paul, who takes care of the mailings as
well.
—Прощание Ирен! (Farewell, Irene!)
Other Donations
The Marin Chapter has received donations in memory
of Jean Bean from Daniel Bean, Priscilla Spears, and
Ken Howard. We’ve also received donations in memory
of Irene Biagi from Betty Trumbly, Thelma Arlom, Mary
Brauns, Tania and Dick Dragavon, and Ken Howard.

❀ ❀ ❀

WAYNE RODERICK LECTURES

At the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in
Above: Red alder (Alnus rubra) plant print from Ida’s book
Marin Trails, 1969. Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley, CA
Saturday mornings 10:30 a.m., free to the public
A Tribute to Irene Biagi January
Irene Biagi, one of our long-time members and most 3 Fremont Peak, Pinnacles, and the road to
dedicated helpers, died on September 30 at the age of Neenach—Steve Edwards
90. Born in 1918 in Vladivostok, Russia, Irene Buyanoff 10 Exploring the lava caps of the western Sierra
fled the Russian Revolution to Harbin, China, and later, Nevada—Larry Abers
Shanghai. She worked for a time in Sydney, Australia, 17 Saving Mt. Diablo—Seth Adams
before emigrating to the United States where she
24 Seeing and saving all the endangered species of
married Sylvester Biagi and settled in San Rafael. For
the GGNRA—Brent Plater
several years Irene was an executive secretary for the
Coastal Commission there. She became an active birder 31 Smog is slow-release nitrogen fertilizer: implica-
in the Marin Audubon Society, and, for our CNPS Marin tions for conservation of California’s biodiversity
Chapter, in past years she conducted meeting sales. —Stuart Weiss
February
7 Exotic microbes, a real threat to California
ecosystems—Matteo Garbelotto
14 Studies in the Yuba Pass and other parts of the
Sierra Nevada—Bob Case
21 California geology from the ground up, part one
—principles and travels from Pt. Reyes south to
the deserts—Steve Edwards
28 California geology from the ground up, part two
—from the Delta to Oregon—Steve Edwards
Location: Wildcat Canyon Road and South Park Drive
(South Park Drive is closed November-March).
Notice: Seating is limited. To be sure of a seat, come
early and save a chair.
For many years, Irene graciously hosted the newslet- For more information:
ter foldings at her home and handled its mailings, and
• Phone: (510) 841-8732
served as membership co-chair. Irene and her devoted
son Paul Kryloff took part in many of our chapter • Email: bgarden@ebparks.org
field trips, from the deserts to the North Coast and • Web: http://www.nativeplants.org

CNPS MARIN CHAPTER NEWSLETTER • VOL. 17 NO. 1 • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2009 3

NATIVE PLANT WALKS WINTER 2009
Marin Chapter Field Trip News and Policies
Take a walk on the mild side with Joe Kohn and the
Marin chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
All hikes are free and open to the public, so please
invite your friends.
Come prepared for any type of weather or conditions,
dress in layers, have non-slip footwear, and bring rain/
wind protection just in case. Although it may be sunny
and warm when you leave home, the weather could be
cold and foggy when we reach our destination. Please
be prepared. Bring lunch and plenty of water, binocu-
lars and/or hand lenses, and your favorite field guides.
For further information, contact Joe Kohn at (415) 459-
0231.
Field Trip Plant Lists
Plant lists compiled by Marin CNPS for many Marin
localities are available on the Marin Chapter CNPS
website at http://www.marin.edu/cnps.
Jepson/Johnstone Loop, Tomales Bay St. Park
Sunday, January 18, 10 a.m.
In mid-January, the Jepson/Johnstone Loop at Tomales
Bay State Park is generally a lot of fun, as there is often a
huge variety of mushrooms to locate, pick, and identify.
Please bring your mushroom ID book, and any mush-
room collecting tools or baskets you might have, and
we’ll try to identify the mushrooms we find during lunch.
Meet at the small unmarked parking area at the top
of the Jepson Trail, which is located just south of the
entrance to Tomales Bay State Park on Pierce Point
Rd. To get there from central Marin, go out Sir Francis
Drake Blvd., several miles past Inverness. At the fork
in the road, bear right onto Pierce Point Rd., and go
approximately one mile to the parking area. If you see
the entrance sign to Tomales Bay State Park, you’ve
gone too far, so turn around and go back 200 yards.
Cataract Gulch from near Alpine Dam
Sunday, February 1, 10 a.m.
Cataract Gulch via the Cataract Trail to Laurel Dell is the
one trail to go on every winter, year after year, decade
after decade, as it’s as beautiful as any place on earth.
Even before leaving the parking area, we’re bound
to see fetid adder’s tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii), the
locally-rare white snow queen (Synthyris reniformis),
and other early spring wildflowers, maybe even wind-
flower (Anemone oregana), followed by waterfalls
galore, one after another, hopefully all raging with
torrents from the drought-ending winter storms that
we’ve all been hoping for. The trail goes uphill, past a
series of stunning waterfalls for more than 1.5 miles.
4 CNPS MARIN CHAPTER NEWSLETTER • VOL. 17 NO. 1 • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2009
If you’ve never taken this trail in winter, make a vow to
do it this year.
We’ll meet at the unsigned parking area located at the
hairpin turn, about 1/8 mile south of Alpine Dam on the
Fairfax-Bolinas Rd., which is located about eight miles
south of Fairfax.
Steep Ravine on Mt. Tamalpais
Sunday, February 15, 10 a.m.
Any day spent with large purple and white trilliums,
giant Smith’s fairy bells, tall redwoods, big raging
waterfalls, and small pink native orchids is a good day,
but spending a winter’s day in Mt. Tam’s Steep Ravine
should be a truly wonderful and memorable day! After
all, many agree that Steep Ravine is the undisputed
“Best Hike” in the entire San Francisco Bay Area.
We’ll take a loop hike, ascending from Highway 1 near
the coast up to the Pantoll Ranger Station via the Steep
Ravine Trail, and descend down the Dipsea, a trail filled
with eye-popping views (if it’s not raining or foggy.)
Meet at the lower trailhead to Steep Ravine, located
on Highway 1, a mile or so south of Stinson Beach. If
you’re unfamiliar with the area, look for the large and
visible gate that’s the entrance to the Steep Ravine
Cabins and park at one of the small parking areas
or pullouts nearby. Pay close attention to any “No
Parking” signs, as a parking ticket will ruin an other-
wise spectacular day!
Early Flowers at Chimney Rock
Thursday, February 19, 10 a.m.
Mid-February is the official unofficial start of wildflower
season in Marin, and the yearly “botanical crawl” at
Chimney Rock has yielded in recent years as few as
15 and as many as 65 different species of wildflowers
in bloom. We’ll also see hundreds of elephant seals,
and should be able to witness more than a few battles
between 1000-pound males trying to impress their
potential female mates.
As we do every year, we’ll be meeting up with David
Herlocker of the Marin County Open Space District at
the Chimney Rock parking area, which is located in
outer Point Reyes, near the end of Sir Francis Drake, a
mile or so before reaching the Lighthouse.
And remember, even if it’s warm and sunny when you
leave home, it could be cold and foggy and very, very,
very windy at Chimney Rock!
Carson Falls
Sunday, February 22, 10 a.m.
Starting in the serpentine barrens and ascending the
Pine Mountain Fire Rd. and its incredible 360-degree
views, we’ll continue on the new trail to the spectacu-
Field trips continued on page 5
Field trips continued from page 4
lar Carson Falls area, where early season wildflowers,
especially the lovely large and small flowered Claytonia
ssp. and the endangered yellow-legged frogs should
be out and about. Meet at the Pine Mountain Fire Rd.
trailhead, about one mile south of the Meadow Club on
the Fairfax-Bolinas Rd.
❀ ❀ ❀
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Bay Shore Studies Volunteer Docents
Help save the Bay, one 10-year old at a time.
Learn how to turn 4th through 6th graders into marine
biologists for the day. Become a Bay Shore Studies
volunteer docent at the Richardson Bay Audubon
Center in Tiburon. Volunteers will lead children
through the inter-tidal zone on the shores of San
Francisco Bay, helping kids discover crabs, birds, and
ecological principles. Docent training includes basic
marine biology and helpful teaching techniques. No
previous science or teaching background is necessary.
You can learn more about the program and the training
by attending any one of four short informational meet-
ings to be held in January, at these dates and times:
• Mornings at 9:30 a.m.—January 5 & January 20
• Evenings at 6:00 p.m.—January 12 & January 26
The final introductory meeting will include a beach
walk and Lyford House tour. Morning training classes
begin Monday, February 2nd.
Enrollment is limited, so please call soon. For more
information, please visit http://www.tiburonaudubon.
org or contact one of the following:
Carol Hunt (415) 488-0238 (sokerhunt@aol.com)
Carla Stedwell (415) 299-1497 (stedwell210@earthlink.net)
❀ ❀ ❀
WORK FOR SAVE THE BAY
Save The Bay is the Bay Area’s leading organization
working exclusively to protect, restore, and celebrate
San Francisco Bay and its watershed. The Bay Area’s
quality of life and economy depend on a healthy and
vibrant Bay.
Save the Bay is seeking a Nursery Manager to run
the organization’s two native plant nurseries, located
in Oakland and Palo Alto, where more than 30,000
native wetland and adjacent upland plant seedlings are
propagated annually. The Nursery Manager reports to
the Habitat Restoration Director and works closely with
Restoration Projects Manager, other Save The Bay
staff, and landowning site partners.
For more information about the position, visit http://
www.savesfbay.org/site/pp.asp?c=dgKLLSOwEnH&b=
683865.
CNPS MARIN CHAPTER NEWSLETTER • VOL. 17 NO. 1 • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2009
SAVE THE DATE!
A Native Plant Symposium…Growing Natives:
Celebrating California’s Beauty in Dry Times
March 28, 2009
Lafayette Community Center, Lafayette
March 29, 2009
Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Berkeley
Creating beautiful water-wise gardens with California
native plants is the theme of this two-day symposium
aimed at professionals, home gardeners, and native
plant enthusiasts.
The Saturday program includes presentations on
California native plants (by botanist and author
Glenn Keator), garden design (by author Carol
Bornstein of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden), the
structure of the garden (by Phil Van Soelen of Cal
Flora Nursery), herbaceous perennials and bulbs (by
plantsman Roger Raiche), creating a native meadow
(by David Amme), and connecting with the garden
(by Mike Evans of Tree of Life Nursery). The Saturday
program includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and
wine reception. A selection of books will be available
for purchase.
The Sunday program begins with an inspiring talk
by Director Steve Edwards, followed by a choice of
guided garden walks and workshops on plants for dry
gardens, aesthetic pruning, principles of irrigation,
and gardening practices. After lunch in the garden,
the program continues at Native Here Nursery with a
presentation by Charli Danielsen and an opportunity to
purchase plants. The day concludes with a visit to two
spectacular private native gardens: the Fleming garden
in Berkeley and the Greenberg garden in Lafayette.
Registration opens January 1, 2009. Members/sub-
scribers of sponsoring organizations receive a discount
on registration fees. Space limited; early registration
recommended. Co-sponsored by Pacific Horticulture,
the California Native Plant Society and the Friends of
the Regional Parks Botanic Garden.
For more information, please visit:
• http://www.nativeplants.org
• http://www.cnps.org
• http://www.pacifichorticulture.org
❀ ❀ ❀
GOLDEN WEED WRENCH AWARD
Janet Klein, of MMWD, has been awarded the Golden
Weed Wrench Award by the California Pest Plant
Council (Cal-IPC), for her tireless efforts to address
the invasive plant problems on MMWD lands.
Congratulations, Janet!
5
January 17–19, 2009
Sacramento Convention Center and Sheraton
Grand Hotel, Sacramento, CA
Keynote speakers include environmental justice and
clean energy advocate Jerome Ringo; Professor
Steven Hopper, Director of the Royal Botanic Garden;
and naturalist, educator, artist, and author John (Jack)
Muir Laws.
The conference will focus on:
• Finding and promoting solutions to the environmen-
tal challenges confronting California’s flora
• Integrating the best science with the most effective
public policies to meet these challenges
• Pressing forward more and better regional and
statewide landscape-level conservation initiatives
By addressing such topics as climate change, rare
plant biology, restoration, mitigation strategies, vege-
tation ecology, environmental policy, invasive species,
conservation genetics, regional planning, urbanization,
and more, this conference will integrate and synthe-
size conservation science with policy and catalyze
California’s plant conservation in the 21st century.
Both national and statewide conservation leaders are
presenting in our concurrent and poster sessions.
Notable presenters include Michael Barbour, Robin
Cox, Tom Griggs, Richard Halsey, Linnea Hanson,
Susan Harrison, Robert Holland, Todd Keeler-Wolf, Jon
Keeley, Scott Loarie, Connie Millar, Richard L. Moe,
Bart O’Brien, Tom Parker, Bruce Pavlik, John Randall,
Jon Rebman, John Sawyer, Dieter Wilken, Carol
Witham, and many, MANY (over 300) MORE!
Just Added: Nature’s Refuge Film Screening!
Join us for a special screening of Stephen Fisher’s
yet-to-be-released documentary, “Nature’s Refuge,” on
6 CNPS MARIN CHAPTER NEWSLETTER • VOL. 17 NO. 1 • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2009
Saturday, January 17th, 8:00 p.m. “Nature’s Refuge” is
intended for broadcast on Public Television, and has the
endorsement of PBS station KCSM in the San Francisco
Bay Area. This film looks at the evolutionary history of
plant and animal species in the Klamath-Siskiyou region
of the California Floristic Province, and discusses the
role this region may play as a continuing refugium in an
era of global warming. The first public showing of the
film will be at the conference, where a condensed ver-
sion of the hour-long program will be shown.
To register and find out more about topics, keynote
speakers, sponsorship, and volunteer opportunities,
visit http://www.cnps.org/cnps/conservation/confer-
ence/2009.
Silent Auction Donations Sought
The CNPS Conservation Conference Silent Auction
Committee seeks donations to help raise money for
CNPS’ conservation programs. The silent auction,
drawing, and live auction will take place January 18.
What can you contribute? There are no restrictions!
Just think about what you might like to buy—artwork,
books, photos, seeds, garden tools—anything nice!
Perhaps you belong to a wine club and can provide a
superb limited reserve bottle. Maybe a book signed by
Ledyard Stebbins himself? What about an annual pass
to our national parks and forests?
Other ideas: a gift basket full of items produced locally
in your region, a week or weekend in a vacation home,
airline tickets, camera, or binoculars, a garden design
by a landscaper, garden services, a lovely vase or pot,
a quilt with a plant theme.
You can find out more about donation ideas, the con-
ference, and CNPS at this website: http://www.cnps.
org/cnps/conservation/conference/2009. You can also
donate directly by going to http://www.cnps.org/cnps/
conservation/conference/2009/auction.php.
For more information, contact Rachel Hutchinson at
(559) 304-0445 or rahutchinson@gmail.com.
❀ ❀ ❀
MARIN BOTANY COURSE
For all those who want to get to know the plants of
Marin just a little better, Paul da Silva will be teaching a
course called Field Botany of Marin beginning January
20th at the College of Marin (Kentfield campus).
The course includes introductions to the principal
communities, families, and genera of Marin County
plants. Laboratory sessions using the new Marin Flora
for identification and field trips to significant areas of
floral diversity will be highlights of the course.
To see the online schedule and to register, go to the
college website at http://www.marin.edu. For more
information, contact Paul at Paul.daSilva@marin.edu.
BOARD NEWS
Marin Chapter Board Election Results for 2009
The following slate of candidates was elected by mem-
bers attending the November 10 meeting:
• President: Open (Kristin Jakob, Acting President)
• Vice President: Kristin Jakob
• Treasurer: Daniel Kushner
• Recording Secretary: Paula Dawson
• Members-at-Large: Carolyn Caldwell-White, Gini
Havel, Mischon Martin, Stacey Pogorzelski, Dabney
Smith, Carol Weiske
Many thanks to all those willing to serve on the board!
In addition to the open positions described below,
other positions on the board remain fully or partially
unfilled. Carolyn Longstreth is doing an admirable
job representing the chapter at the quarterly Chapter
Council/State Board meetings, but we could use an
alternate delegate as well. Eva Buxton would greatly
appreciate a co-chair for Conservation, and we would
welcome someone willing to take the minutes at board
meetings when our faithful recording secretary Paula
Dawson is not available.
Six board meetings per year are held on the evenings
of the first Mondays of February–May, September, and
November, at the Recycling Center in San Rafael, and
one privately on a Monday afternoon in August.
Book Sales Chair Needed!
We are seeking one or two people to fill this position.
Books are stored privately in Mill Valley, and
transported to and from the meetings by Robert Feist,
so we only need people to maintain the inventory,
purchase books as needed, and sell at all our
membership meetings and at occasional other events,
such as plant sales. Please call Kristin Jakob at (415)
388-1844 if you would like more details on the position.
Publicity Chair Needed!
After many years holding this position, Gary Thorp is
stepping down so he might devote more time to his
writing. Thank you, Gary, for a job well done!
The position essentially entails notifying the press of
upcoming CNPS Marin programs, activities, and plant
sales, but could include writing or soliciting articles on
CNPS Marin and native plants. Please call Kristin Jakob
at (415) 388-1844 for more details.
Our Newest Board Members
New member at large Stacey Pogorzelski has always
loved being outdoors exploring nature. One of her
first plant loves was the native skunk cabbage of New
Jersey, where she grew up. Her love of California
natives was sparked 15 years ago by two enthusiastic
plant lovers on a Sierra Club camping trip to Lassen
CNPS MARIN CHAPTER NEWSLETTER • VOL. 17 NO. 1 • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2009
National Park. Stacey has worked at the US EPA,
volunteered on numerous habitat restorations, and
monitored endangered birds. She is currently planning
a native garden at her home in Novato where she lives
with her fiance and their three cats.
New member at large Dabney Smith was raised in
Marin County. She attended Cal State Hayward and
received a B.S. in Biological Sciences in the early 1970s.
After graduation, she met Rick Bergman on a wildflower
walk and immediately joined the newly formed Marin
Chapter of CNPS. Shortly thereafter, she attended
field biology classes taught by Gini Havel at College of
Marin. Gini introduced her to Phyllis Faber and Wilma
Follette, who encouraged her to learn as much as she
could about field natural history. Dabney left Marin
County in 1990 to pursue a career as a park ranger for
Santa Clara County, where she worked in campground
parks. Dabney will tell you that badges get very heavy,
but overall, being a park ranger is a very rewarding
career to those who love being outside. When she
retired, she returned to Marin County, because, if you
love parks, Marin is the place to be. Dabney considers
herself to be a generalist, and now wants to relearn all
the native plants and their Latin names.
We are happy that Gini Havel is rejoining the board as
a member at large; a long-time chapter member, she
served on the board for many years, first as recording
secretary, then as program chair. Gini was a founding
member of the Environmental Forum of Marin, and
taught botany classes for many years at College of
Marin. She is a Master Gardener, and very active in
the Inverness Garden Club. Over the last decade, Gini
has written numerous articles on gardening and native
plants for many Marin county newspapers, and for our
newsletter.
❀ ❀ ❀
CHAPTER NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE
ONLINE!
You can find an electronic (PDF) edition of this newslet-
ter and the May 2008 issue on the Marin chapter website
by visiting http://www.marin.edu/cnps/newsletters.html.
❀ ❀ ❀
GARDENING WITH NATIVES GROUP?
Are you interested in gardening with California native
plants? Perhaps you’d like to learn more about how
to propagate and care for horticulturally appropriate
natives. Would you enjoy getting together with others to
exchange seeds and cuttings, learn more about different
genera, share your experiences, and visit native
gardens? If so, join our chapter’s nascent Gardening
with Natives group and email Renee Fittinghoff at:
reneef94941@gmail.com or call (415) 388-6850 with
your name, contact information, and particular interests.
7
CACTI, AGAVES, AND YUCCAS OF
CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA
Stephen Ingram, past president of the CNPS
Bristlecone Chapter, will be discussing his new book,
Cacti, Agaves, and Yuccas of California and Nevada.
Lecture dates:
• Wednesday, February 4: Marin Art & Garden Center
http://www.magc.org/calendar/index.html
• Thursday, February 5: CNPS Yerba Buena Chapter,
San Francisco
http://www.cnps-yerbabuena.org
His multimedia presentation explores some of the
unique attributes of the cacti, agaves, and yuccas and
highlights what makes them such intriguing compo-
nents of our native plant communities. With stunning
images of their colorful blossoms and unusual growth
forms, this program showcases a number of species
and varieties that occur in California’s deserts and
coastal areas. Following the presentation, Stephen will
sign copies of his new book.
❀ ❀ ❀
SAVE THE DATE! PLANT SALE!
Our chapter’s 33rd annual plant sale will take place on
Saturday, April 11, 2009, once again at the Richardson
Bay Audubon Center. We will offer many of the same
beautifully grown plants that we have offered in the
past.
Additionally, because Audubon will be conducting a
pollination workshop concurrently, we plan to high-
light those native plants that attract pollinators. In case
you’re wondering just which plants those might be,
the website for The Pollinator Partnership (http://www.
pollinator.org) offers an informative brochure entitled
“Selecting Plants for Pollinators—California Coastal
Steppe, Mixed Forest, Redwood Forest Province,”
which covers Marin. Checkerspot it out!

Board of Directors Board contact information has been removed

Position Name from the online version of this newsletter.
President Open—Volunteer Needed
VP, Programs & Acting Pres. Kristin Jakob
Chapter Council Delegate Carolyn Longstreth
Alternate Chapter Council Delegate Open—Volunteer Needed
Programs Co-Chair Open—Volunteer Needed
Secretary Paula Dawson
Treasurer Daniel Kushner
Book Sales Open—Volunteer Needed
Conservation Co-Chair Eva Buxton
Conservation Co-Chair Open—Volunteer Needed
Education Paul da Silva
Field Trips Joe Kohn
Historian Vivian Mazur
Hospitality Chair Open—Volunteer Needed
Invasives Tanya Baxter
Legislation Phyllis Faber
Marin Flora Project Wilma Follette
Marin-Sonoma Weed Management Area Liaison Bob Soost
Membership Ashley Ratcliffe
Newsletter Editor Krista Fechner
Newsletter Folding/Mailing Paul Kryloff
Plant Sale Co-Chair Kristin Jakob
Plant Sale Co-Chair Renee Fittinghoff
Poster Sales Gerd Jakob
Publicity Open—Volunteer Needed
Rare Plant Coordinator Doreen Smith
Website Mary Stevens
Member at Large Carolyn Caldwell-White
Member at Large Gini Havel
Member at Large Mischon Martin
Member at Large Stacey Pogorzelski
Member at Large Dabney J. Smith
Member at Large Carol Weiske

8 CNPS MARIN CHAPTER NEWSLETTER • VOL. 17 NO. 1 • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2009

Dedicated to the Preservation of California CNPS Contact Information
Native Flora Phone (916) 447-2677 (state)
The California Native Plant Society is a statewide non- Fax (916) 447-2727 (state)
profit organization of amateurs and professionals with
a common interest in California’s native plants. The Email cnps@cnps.org (state)
Society, working through its local chapters, seeks to Web http://www.marin.edu/cnps (chapter)
increase understanding of California’s native flora and http://www.cnps.org (state) The state CNPS site
to preserve this rich resource for future generations. is a resource for a wealth of materials, including
Membership is open to all. promotional materials such as banners and posters.
Join CNPS Now! Tax-Deductible Contributions
Membership includes informative publications, field Tax-deductible contributions to the Marin Chapter are
trips, monthly programs, and discounts on books always welcome, either as memorial or honorarium
and posters. Also included are Fremontia (a quarterly donations or regular contributions. You may designate
journal with articles on all aspects of native plants), the your contribution for a specific purpose of your choice.
Bulletin (a quarterly statewide report of activities and Unless otherwise designated, all contributions will be
schedules), and the chapter newsletter. Please call the placed in a separate Special Projects Fund. The Special
membership chairperson for more information. Projects Fund will enable the Chapter to extend our
efforts to additional plant-related issues. Our regular,
Yes! I wish to affiliate with the Marin Chapter. ongoing program and operating expenses are largely
covered by our plant sales and book and poster sales.
Membership Category:
A contribution of $_______ is made in honor of:
Mariposa Lily $1,500
Benefactor $600
Patron $300
Contribution designated for:
Plant Lover $100
Family, Group, or Library $75
Individual $45
From:
Student or Limited Income $25
Name
New Member Information: Address
Name
Address Telephone
Email
Telephone
Email Please send acknowledgement to:
Name _______________________________________
Please mail application and check payable to CNPS to:
Address _______________________________________
California Native Plant Society
2707 K St., Suite 1 _______________________________________
Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 Telephone _______________________________________

If you wish to receive only the newsletter, please make Email _________________________________
$10 check payable to CNPS Marin and mail to:
Mail check payable to CNPS to:
Daniel Kushner
201 Ross St. Daniel Kushner
San Rafael, CA 94901 201 Ross St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
Newsletter Subscription only $10
The IRS considers dues in excess of $12.00 per
year and all gifts to CNPS Tax Deductible.

CNPS MARIN CHAPTER NEWSLETTER • VOL. 17 NO. 1 • JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2009 9

CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
MARIN CHAPTER Non-Profit Org.
1 Harrison Avenue U.S. Postage
Sausalito, CA 94965 PAID
Printed on Recycled Paper San Rafael, CA
Permit No. 300

GET YOUR COPY OF THE REVISED PLANT COMMUNITIES OF MARIN

MARIN FLORA!
Now available: the long-awaited, 2007 revised
edition of John Thomas Howell’s classic Marin Flora
(originally published in 1949). Copies of the book will
be available at chapter meetings and most field trips.
You can also print out an order form at the chapter
website (http://www.marin.edu/cnps).
Prices: Hard cover Soft cover
Retail $45 (plus $3.49 tax) $35 (plus $2.71 tax)
CNPS members $36 (plus $2.79 tax) $28 (plus $2.17 tax)
(20% off)
COUNTY
Do you want to learn more about the diverse plant
communities of this special county?
Plant Communities of Marin County, written by David
Shuford and Irene C. Timossi and illustrated with
exquisite black and white photographs of the com-
munities and their member species, is an excellent
resource. Send your check payable to CNPS for $11
per copy (shipping, handling, and tax included) to:
Phyllis Faber
212 Del Casa Dr.
Mill Valley, CA 94941

Enclosed is $__________. Please send me_________

WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU! copies of Plant Communities of Marin County.
If you would like to make a suggestion for a chapter
meeting program, field trip, plant identification Name
workshop, or anything else, please contact us. You Address
can phone or email your ideas to any of the board
members listed on page 8 of the newsletter.
Telephone